1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a granulated-type discharged urine processing material for animal, which is capable of absorbing discharged urine of a pet animal such as a cat or the like.
2. Related Art
The present applicant has proposed, in his Japanese patent No. 2,534,031, a granulated-type processing material which makes color development when discharged urine is absorbed therein. This processing material includes, as described in its embodiment, a water absorbent surface layer covering the surface of a core portion (water absorbent granular body). And when the discharged urine is absorbed in the core portion through the surface layer, dyes portion dying the core portion is permeated into the surface layer, thereby enabling to discriminate the after-use part from the before-use part.
When the discharged urine is absorbed in the core portion through the surface layer, color of the core portion containing the water-non-soluble pigments can be seen through the surface layer, thereby enabling to discriminate the after-use part from the before-use part.
The above-mentioned discriminating method is included in claim 1 of the above-mentioned Japanese patent reading as xe2x80x9ca discharged urine processing material for animal, having a water absorbent property, wherein the processing material is covered with a surface layer which exposes a color of a core portion thereof when the discharged urine is absorbed in the processing materialxe2x80x9d.
A large number of the above-mentioned discharged urine processing material for animal are laid on an animal commode such as a tray for the use of a pet animal. According to the above-mentioned Japanese patent, the used portion (portion where urine has been discharged) can easily be discriminated from the non-used portion (portion where urine is not yet discharged). Since only the used portion can be replaced, the invention is economical. Moreover, the problem of emission of offensive odors from the used processing material which has been left for a long time. In addition, the processing material of this type is harmless. Owing to the above and other advantages, the above-mentioned invented processing material is widely accepted.
The present invention makes, while basing on the above-mentioned invention, a new proposal of its specific technique.
As same in the case with the above-mentioned invention, a granulated-type discharged urine processing material for animal according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a water absorbent granular body dyed with water soluble dyes or a water absorbent granular body containing powder of water soluble dyes, and a water absorbent surface layer covering a surface of the water absorbent granular body. The water absorbent surface layer and the water absorbent granular body are bonded to each other through a non-continuous water soluble adhesive layer formed of a plurality of adhesive non-coated parts and a plurality of adhesive coated parts which is coated on the surface of the water absorbent granular body. Discharged urine of animal is permeated into the water absorbent granular body through the water absorbent surface layer and the non-continuous water soluble adhesive layer, or by dissolving the adhesive coated parts. Thereby, the water soluble dyes are eluted into the discharged urine so that the water absorbent surface layer is dyed through the non-continuous water soluble adhesive layer. By this, the used portions and the non-used portions can be discriminated properly.
The non-continuous water soluble adhesive layer is capable of locally removing only the discharged urine absorbent processing material which is dyed by absorption of discharged urine, while wholesomely maintaining the complex structure formed of the water absorbent granular body and the water absorbent surface layer.
A granulated-type discharged urine processing material for animal according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the water absorbent granular body of the first aspect of the present invention is blended with powder of water non-soluble pigments instead of the powder of the water soluble dyes or the powder of the water soluble dyes.
Discharged urine of animal is permeated into the water absorbent granular body through the water absorbent surface layer and the non-continuous water soluble adhesive layer, or by dissolving the adhesive coated-parts so that color caused by the powder of the water non-soluble pigments can be seen through the water absorbent surface layer and the non-continuous water soluble adhesive layer. By this, the used portions and the non-used portions can be discriminated properly.
The non-continuous water soluble adhesive layer is capable of locally removing only the discharged urine absorbent processing material which is color developed by absorption of discharged urine, while wholesomely maintaining the complex structure formed of the water absorbent granular body and the water absorbent surface layer.
A third aspect of the present invention provides a granulated-type discharged urine processing material for animal, characterized in that the water soluble adhesive layer of the first and second aspects of the present invention is dyed with water soluble dyes.
Discharged urine of the animal is permeated into the water absorbent granular body through the water absorbent surface layer and the dyed water soluble adhesive layer. At that time, the water soluble dyes in the dyed water soluble adhesive layer are eluted into the discharged urine, thereby dyeing the water absorbent surface layer. By this, the used portions and the non-used portions can be discriminated properly.
The dyed water soluble adhesive layer is capable of locally removing only the discharged urine absorbent processing material which is dyed by absorption of discharged urine, while wholesomely maintaining the complex structure formed of the water absorbent granular body and the water absorbent surface layer.
A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a granulated-type discharged urine processing material for animal characterized in that the water soluble adhesive layer contains therein powder of water non-soluble pigments instead of the powder of the water soluble pigments of the third aspect of the present invention.
Discharged urine of the animal is permeated into the water absorbent granular body through the water absorbent surface layer and the dyed water soluble adhesive layer. At that time, color of the powder of the water non-soluble pigments in the dyed water soluble adhesive layer can be seen through the water absorbent surface layer. By this, the used portions and the non-used portions can be discriminated properly.
The dyed water soluble adhesive layer is capable of locally removing only the discharged urine absorbent processing material which is color developed by absorption of discharged urine, while wholesomely maintaining the complex structure formed of the water absorbent granular body and the water absorbent surface layer.
A granulated-type discharged urine processing material for animal according to a fifth aspect of the present invention employs a construction in which the water absorbent surface layer of the first through fourth aspects of the present invention contains therein powder of pigments which is dried and not dissolved in moisture.
Discharged urine of the animal is permeated into the water absorbent granular body through the water absorbent surface layer and the water soluble adhesive layer. At that time, the powder of the dyes in the water absorbent surface layer is eluted into the discharged urine, thereby dyeing the water absorbent surface layer. By this, the used portions and the non-used portions can be discriminated properly.
A sixth aspect of the present invention provides a granulated-type discharged urine processing material for animal characterized in that the water soluble adhesive layer contains therein powder of water non-soluble pigments instead of the powder of the water soluble dyes of the fifth aspect of the present invention.
Discharged urine of the animal is permeated into the water absorbent granular body through adhesive non-coated parts of the water absorbent surface layer and the non-continuous water soluble adhesive layer or by dissolving the adhesive coated parts. At that time, the powder of the water non-soluble pigments color develops the water absorbent surface layer. By this, the used portions and the non-used portions can be discriminated properly.
A granulated-type discharged urine processing material for animal according to a seventh aspect of the present invention employs a construction which is characterized in that the water soluble granular body contains therein powder of water soluble dyes. Discharged urine of the animal is permeated into the water absorbent granular body, so that the powder of the water soluble dyes are dissolved in the discharged urine, thereby dyeing the water absorbent granular body. By this, the used portions and the non-used portions can be discriminated properly.
An eighth aspect of the present invention provides a granulated-type discharged urine processing material for animal characterized in that the water absorbent granular body contains therein powder of water non-soluble pigments instead of the powder of the water soluble dyes of the seventh aspect of the present invention.
By virtue of this construction, when the discharged urine of the animal is permeated into the water absorbent granular body, the powder of the water non-soluble pigments color develops the water absorbent granular body. By this, the used portions and the non-used portions can be discriminated properly.